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The metrics that are monitored to measure the impact of the Circular Economy Investment Fund (CEIF) include:

• Greenhouse gas reduction;
• low-carbon investment levered into Scotland by Private and institutional investors;
• and employment in low-carbon sector in Scotland

Zero Waste Scotland has a robust monitoring procedure for all projects funded by the CEIF. For each grant awarded, quarterly monitoring returns are required for three years following implementation, and these will be supported by site visits or other impact assessment where required. This monitoring procedure allows the capture of metrics beyond the targets listed here, including qualitative benefits, which can be bespoke to the specific nature of the project.

The Scottish Food Waste Reduction Target aims to reduce food waste by 33% by 2025. We are working on an action plan which will provide greater detail on measures to be taken in Scotland which we expect to publish by the end of the year. This will include further information on the contribution we expect from the different measures being pursued.

Zero Waste Scotland’s Circular Economy Operations within its Resource Efficient Circular Economy Programme 2014-20, which includes the Circular Economy Investment Fund and supporting activities, has targets for the following:

• Annual identified carbon savings (tCO2 eq) by 2018 = 25,922t
• Cumulative lifetime identified carbon savings by 2018 = 775,440t
• Low-carbon investment levered into Scotland by Private and institutional investors, target of £11.6m.
• Employment in low-carbon sector in Scotland, target of 343 jobs

This information is not held centrally.

Zero Waste Scotland promotes the Circular Economy Investment Fund through a range of channels. These include:

• marketing initiatives targeting specific opportunities in partnership with industry associations and membership groups;
• a team of sector managers who work with SMEs and intermediaries to raise awareness of the Fund;
• and signposting with public and private sector partners such as Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, venture funds and Angel networks/syndicates.

This activity has resulted in 284 stage 1 applications to date.

The spending profile for the Circular Economy Investment Fund (CEIF) is in line with the agreed Zero Waste Scotland budget for 2018-2019. The spend profile for the CEIF is forecast to be £4.58 this year.

Since April 2013 Zero Waste Scotland has made £766,800 available to Community Resources Network Scotland to cover core activities such as the running of regional forums, themed events, policy consultations, representation and research. Further funding, of £283,500 has also been supplied for specific projects over the same period, such as the early development of the Revolve initiative and the establishment of the Reuse Consortium.

We are working with Walking Football Scotland to encourage more women to take up the sport. Most of the walking football sessions across Scotland welcome men and women, and there are also many female-only sessions. The Walking Football Festival being held in June at Glasgow Green will feature women and men competitors.

Walking Football Scotland has female representation at board level and Scotland’s only football World Cup winner Rose Reilly is an ambassador – which I hope will encourage more women to participate.

The Scottish Government funds Paths for All to deliver against national physical activity priorities, including walking for health. Paths for All, Age Scotland and other partners initially developed walking football in Scotland to establish the Scottish Walking Football Network. This led to the creation of Walking Football Scotland which I helped launch on 6 December 2017.

The Scottish FA is also supportive of Walking Football Scotland, with much of the local delivery already coordinated by the community clubs and partners the Scottish FA invests in.

The sport has grown rapidly across Scotland by allowing people to reignite their passion for football – despite injury or illness – simply by slowing the sport down. The new organisation already has more than 45 member organisations which run more than 70 sessions every week. As well as physical and mental health, the additional social benefits that come from playing in a football match make this an excellent and inclusive game which I am proud to support.

We have no plans to enable planning authorities to designate areas where an applicant’s right of appeal against a planning decision by the authority would be removed.